Hush Little Baby
by Fuzzy Lamps
Summary: Thomas wakes up to the sound of crying. Is it Chuck? Why is Chuck crying? Takes place in the first book of TMR trilogy. Just a little one shot about Thomas and Chuck's brotherly relationship. Fluff and comfort NO SPOILERS!


Thomas's eyes fluttered open to the sound of a whimper. He fought away grogginess and sat up, rubbing his eyes momentarily. He heard the sound again. He glanced around; his eyes squinting to see through the darkness of the Glade.

A sniffle.

A whimper.

A stifled sob.

Chuck.

He saw the boy laying a few feet from him; Chuck's back facing Thomas.

"Chuck?" Thomas whispered quietly.

There was a moment of silence, Chuck's shoulders stiffening as he realized he had been caught. "What?" He asked, his voice trembling.

"What's wrong?" Thomas asked as he scooted across the grass towards Chuck. The younger boy had sat upright and covered his face with his hands, still facing away from Thomas.

Thomas carefully laid his hand against the shaking boy's shoulder, waiting for a response.

"Nothin'" was all Chuck said, his voice quivering.

Thomas felt his heart aching. '_He must be scared,'_ he thought to himself.

"Come here," he whispered softly to Chuck, a smile barely creeping on to his lips.

Chuck turned around and slowly pulled his hands away from his face, revealing glassy eyes and tear-stained cheeks. The boy hiccuped and looked Thomas in the eye.

Thomas felt his heart shatter. He had promised to get Chuck home; back to the world they knew before. Chuck was always brave; braver than Thomas believed possible. Yet here Chuck sat, silently crying into the night. Suddenly, Chuck launched himself into Thomas's arms, wrapping his own pudgy arms around the older boy's neck.

"I'm scared," Chuck whispered and buried his face into Thomas's shoulder. Thomas wrapped his arms around Chuck, his own lip starting to tremble.

"It's okay, Chuck." He barely managed the words coming from his lips. _'Stay strong, Thomas. You have to do this for Chuck.'_

"You're a...shuckface." Chuck mumbled against Thomas's neck. Thomas could almost smile at Chuck's attempt to use Glader slang. Almost.

"Chuck," Thomas began softly. "You gotta tell me what's wrong." Thomas leaned his upper body back enough to look Chuck in the eye. He reached his hand up and ran his fingers through Chuck's curly brown hair.

"I-I'm scared, Thomas... I don't know how much longer I can do this." Chuck looked as if he were about to burst into tears again.

"Shh," Thomas said, forcing comfort into his words. He hugged Chuck again, holding him close to his chest. "You're okay, Chuck. I won't let them hurt you." His lips flattened in a straight line as he thought of the Creators.

Chuck didn't speak; curling himself against Thomas's body. Chuck's body slowly stopped shaking and his cries turned into slight whimpers. Thomas grabbed a blanket and covered the two of them with it; a smile forming on his lips.

"W-will you do something for me?" Chuck whispered, his voice raspy from crying.

Thomas nodded and cupped the boy's cheek with his palm.

"S-sing to me..."

Thomas's brow rose in slight shock. "Sing?"

It was Chuck's turn to nod. "Please, T-Thomas..." Chuck's lower lip trembled again, his eyes turning watery.

Thomas swallowed thickly and nodded, trying to go past the memory block in his head and remember a tune. Chuck's eyes shut as he waited for Thomas to sing.

_"Hush, little baby, don't say a word..."_ Thomas sung under his breath, a light red on his cheeks.

He looked down at the boy in his arms, his smile growing. Chuck's breathing had evened out as he drifted to sleep. Thomas felt an incredible amount of love towards the smaller boy; as if they had been brothers before they arrived in the Glade.

"Good night, Chuck." Thomas murmured and shut his own eyes, sleep trying to overcome him.

Chuck mumbled something, but Thomas only heard the words_ 'night', 'love',_ and _'you.'_

**I love the brotherly relationship between Chuck and Thomas~**

**I hope you all enjoyed this! I really liked writing this; I feel like Chuck would cry at night ( as sad as that is.. )**

**Be sure to review and favorite~!**


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